Internal combustion engines have a very low efficiency rate in converting fuel to kinetic energy. A large percentage of the energy of the burned fuel is converted into heat which has to be dissipated by a cooling system or is expelled into the air by the exhaust line.
One method that has been tried to improve the efficiency of internal combustion engines is to have the power stroke of the piston alternately powered by fuel and steam. While these engines would theoretically have higher efficiency rates, a number of difficulties are encountered in using the same piston and cylinders for both fuel and steam strokes as a different design is needed for each. It is an object of this invention to develop an engine in which the heat generated by the internal combustion section is converted into vapor for powering a vapor powered engine section.
It is also an object of this invention to develop an engine that has a greater efficiency in converting fuel to kinetic energy. It is a corollary object to develop an engine that uses less fuel per unit of kinetic energy developed.